Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[Nogrod]

Here's what I've been thinking...

So the outlaws get away and climb the stairs to the kitchen. Wasn't it so?

In that case no one in the hall will have any idea they've escaped. Unless something betrays their escape.

So could it be that someone is there in the kitchen or is just going back there and notices the outlaws there - and screams? Maybe if s/he is there already the outlaws might jump on her/him? Although I'm not sure if a plain scream would provoke the reaction we possibly want so maybe that person should openly call something like "the outlaws" or "they're loose" or whatever.

Now I think Stigend is sitting quite near the stairs (as is implied from my last post) so he would not be in the best position to make a dash for the corridor that leads to the kitchen as there sure would be many people trying to get through that narrow door already. So he would take another route and rush out from the door at the right side of the stove getting to the alder court and trying to reach the kitchen from outside picking whatever utensil he could use as a weapon on his way (surely the normal people sitting in the hall are not armed).

I'd like to think Garstan would come with Stigend. Is that okay for you Celuien?

lmp: I'm not sure how we could fit Rowenna with this scenario but let's come up with something?

What do you think? Other suggestions?

[Lhunardawen]

Ginna says hello, Noggie. I can't bear to miss this, so I stationed her in the kitchen. I hope nobody minds.

Oh, and she's holding a knife. Does she need more drama in her life?

[Nogrod]

Nicely set Lhuna!

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

lmp: I'm not sure how we could fit Rowenna with this scenario but let's come up with something?

What do you think? Other suggestions?

Your plans work for me. What I stated earlier (So she might attempt to dissuade Stigend should he try to interfere, but in a very subtle way such as redirecting his path away from the cellar, if she can) is her ideal situation, how she would prefer things to work out. If they don't, she'll adapt.

[Lhunardawen]

Um, Elempi? Do I have a free rein here or does Ginna have to follow? I don't want to get in the way of any plans, and from the looks of it Ginna has to go, but I'm asking anyway.

[Nogrod]

If Ealasaide posts now we should have a nice little get-together in the kitchen... *hint*

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Lhunardawen

Um, Elempi? Do I have a free rein here or does Ginna have to follow? I don't want to get in the way of any plans, and from the looks of it Ginna has to go, but I'm asking anyway.

Lhuna, do whatever is in your character's personality to do. That's what I'm doing with Rowenna. If 2 of the 3 escaping rogues need to be captured for the storyline to work, then it'll happen, maybe just not the way you or I originally thought it would. This kind of thing happens to writers all the time.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Lhuna, do whatever is in your character's personality to do. That's what I'm doing with Rowenna. If 2 of the 3 escaping rogues need to be captured for the storyline to work, then it'll happen, maybe just not the way you or I originally thought it would.

I do agree... and am eager to see Eala's post sooner that later as the set up is quite interesting right now (with Ginna in the kitchen).


lmp: What do you think about the following matter?

I wrote somewhere in my earlier post here in the planning thread that the "normal people" would not have arms with them in the hall. Is there an armory in the Mead Hall in the first place where people would keep their "serious" weapons?

Thinking of this particular occasion, people who were with the rescue-party have barely had time to turn around in their rooms and would probably not have visited any armoury. So would they have left their weapons beside the main door to begin with - to be recollected later to the possible armoury? It was the practise of the northern and germanic tribes in RL at least to leave the weapons at the door and not to carry them inside - and I would be amazed if lord Eodwine would allow people carrying weapons with them inside the Mead Hall anyway...?

In that case (weapons at the main door) the weapons will be too far for Stigend (and Garstan) and they will have to improvise... and I kind of like the idea. Surely an everyday knife would hang on both of their belts still as they would have left only major weapons to the door - and those working-knives would be at their sides all the time... But what do you think?

And in any case, who are there in the Hall right now waiting for the court to begin who actually bear arms becasue they have an official duty to fex. bring the outlaws to the justice from the cellar?

Has lord Eodwine a sword at hand himself?

[littlemanpoet]

Very interesting thoughts, Noggie. I have never given thought to an armoury or where people leave their weapons. No doubt you are correct as to leaving weapons outside the main hall. My initial thought was that weapons would be hung on the walls of the Great Hall, especially on the (front) wall farthest from the kitchen. Perhaps we could posit an antechamber just inside the doorway that Eodwine and his craftsman have built but we writers hadn't thougt of?

....as shown in the attachment; what do you think?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

My initial thought was that weapons would be hung on the walls of the Great Hall, especially on the (front) wall farthest from the kitchen. Perhaps we could posit an antechamber just inside the doorway that Eodwine and his craftsman have built but we writers hadn't thougt of?

That woud sound realistic... and the picture you had of it was good as well...

So normally the weapons would be kept in the antechamber but just at this particular moment people would have left their weapons inside the doorway (the main door down there) as they have just rushed in and wished to see their friends or loved ones sooner than later ie. before the court takes place.

Not that this leaving the weapons at the doorstep would help anyone - if not with the possible impressive turns of fate to come?

Lhuna: don't let Ginna to give in to Rowenna too easily! It's better storywise to actually have someone who can actually write in the kitchen... and anyway someone has to make a noise in there for the others to realise in the first place that something is wrong ie. the outlaws have escaped...